Thankful In Advent #17

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart

The Advent story is so familiar to us we can miss whats so often is going on… Mary simply models to us the spiritual benefit in slowing down and reflecting in the detail.

The days had been heady and exhausting… angelic visitation, supernatural conception (explain that one to your betrothed…. especially when he’s not the one responsible), a near miss with divorce, hiding with your cousin whilst baby starts to show, a traumatic journey to Bethlehem, baby born in a stinking animal pen and then the arrival of the local traveller community (for that is how shepherds were treated in those days). It would have been so easy to to lose the detail amongst all the activity but we are told ‘…Mary treasured these things and pondered them in her heart’.

There’s something about Mary and we can be Thankful In Advent because she models for us the power of meditating on the things of God. She took all that had been said and done and held them as treasure… gems to be pondered, and I have no doubt those treasures saw her through the difficult days ahead…

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. (ESV)